Thai PTT Testing Natural Gas in Trawlers

9 July 2005

Bangkok Post. PTT Plc, the Thai energy company, is testing the use of natural gas as a replacement fuel for diesel in fishing trawlers to help fleet operators deal with rising fuel costs. Currently, natural gas costs some 60% less than diesel.

If the tests are successful, PTT will start promoting the installation of natural gas equipment on trawlers and supplying natural gas refuelling stations by the end of this year.

Separately, PTT and the Government Savings Bank (GSB) have signed an agreement to provide financial support to owners of all types of vehicles wishing to install natural gas vehicle conversion kits. A second agreement running until Sept 30 covers four shuttle van operators who want to convert their fleets to NGV.

Under the first agreement, PTT will subsidize the cost of converting 5,000 vehicles at 10,000 baht (US$237) each. The GSB would then offer low-cost loans to cover the remaining equipment and conversion cost, which ranges between 30,000 and 45,000 baht (US$712–US$1,067) per vehicle.

Thai Energy Minister Viset Choopiban said the government hoped natural gas would replace about 10% of the gasoline and diesel now consumed by 2008.